


The Onlooker Sees More of the Game

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 18:31:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8500651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: DS Stanley Hopkins is on a six month secondment to the Met’s Homicide Division, where he meets Sherlock Holmes and also Dr John Watson. The meeting with the latter is not quite as he had expected.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Tiny, jumper-wearing, rage-machine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4435616) by [keerawa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keerawa/pseuds/keerawa). 



> My thanks to Okapi for the beta.

DS Stanley Hopkins was sitting in the Met’s canteen when he was joined by DS Sally Donovan. “How are you finding us, Stanley?” she asked.  
  
“I’m getting used to things,” he replied. “It’s different from what I’m accustomed to.”  
  
“The bright lights, the advanced technology,” she grinned, “no cases of sheep stealing.”  
  
“We’re not yokels, even down our way,” Stanley grinned back. “Actually, what I’ve really noticed is how specialised everything is in the Met. We have to cover a much wider variety of crimes.”  
  
“And criminals?”  
  
“The means may be a bit different, but the motivations remain the same.”  
  
Sally nodded. “True. And what have you made of the great Sherlock Holmes?”  
  
“He’s surprised me. Of course I’d heard a lot about him, and I can see how his disregard for procedure could affect an investigation and cause problems,” Stanley paused and looked up at Sally.  
  
She gave a small smile. “Carry on!”  
  
“But he goes into incredible detail, and the ability he has to bring together seemingly disparate facts is impressive.”  
  
“Which is why the boss continues to bring him in on our cases.”  
  
“I’ve not met his companion yet, this Dr Watson. What’s he like?”  
  
“He’s a good guy. A medic, invalided home from Afghanistan, for some reason he likes hanging around with Sherlock. He’s supposed to have a bit of a temper, but I think you’ll like him.”  
  
Stanley nodded. “Hopefully it won’t be too long until I get to meet him. I must admit to being a bit curious as to what holds the two of them together.”  
  
Sally laughed. “I doubt you’ll be any the wiser once you have met him.”  
  
***  
  
Stanley had scarcely noticed Sherlock’s companion as the detective swept past Sally and bent to examine the corpse by the skip. Stanley edged a little closer to observe what Sherlock was doing. The first time he had done this he had wondered whether Sherlock would object, and had sought to be as quiet as possible while he watched. He’d stood so still he’d started to feel cramp in his leg and had scraped his foot along the ground while trying to ease the muscle. Sherlock had glanced up, and Stanley had expected the famed objections on being disturbed. Instead Sherlock had said, “If you’re that interested, I may as well share my observations. You might actually learn something.” Once Sherlock had finished his examination and stood up, Stanley had begun to say, “Thank you very much, Mr Holmes, that was most …” but Sherlock had interrupted with “Just try and remember some of it. And it’s Sherlock,” before walking away.  
  
Stanley had been concentrating on Sherlock’s observations and so had paid no attention to the initial conversation between Sally and John Watson, but his head jerked up when he heard the angry words addressed to DI Lestrade. John’s whole body language was threatening, and it was no wonder the DI took a couple of steps backwards. Stanley saw Sally approach, her hand on her baton, and speak to John.  
  
Her voice was calm and unthreatening, and John’s reaction took him by surprise. Everyone had led Stanley to believe John was the calming influence for Sherlock, but now John took several aggressive steps towards Sally, who stumbled backwards. Stanley, along with his colleagues, moved towards them, but Lestrade grabbed John by the elbow, spoke firmly to him, and John, seeing the other police officers in the vicinity, decided against any further action, instead storming out of the alley.  
  
Stanley glanced at Sally, who seemed shaken but otherwise unhurt. Then he turned back to Sherlock, who was standing up following his examination of the corpse. Their eyes met, and Stanley saw, along with the derision for the incompetence of the police force which Sherlock had shown on previous occasions, a look of steel which had been missing before.  
  
Stanley listened to Sherlock give his verdict on the corpse, before stating he had an angry soldier to track down. And a piece of Sherlock’s mentality clicked into place. Stanley had wondered why John had put up with Sherlock, his peculiarities and his demands. But this was the other side. Sherlock didn’t just need John, but John needed Sherlock.   
  
Stanley realised his mistake had been to see John Watson as a doctor, but forget he had been a soldier too. The area covered by his own police force included the home town of one of the major army units. He had seen the anger of soldiers who had returned from a tour of duty, but who hadn’t come to terms with being home again. He had met men who had been demobbed, but who found adapting back into civilian life harder than they had expected. It wasn’t too great a stretch of the imagination to see how this could apply also to John. And to see how being with Sherlock would fill the need for the action John had missed on being invalided out of the army.  
  
Stanley had heard about Sally’s own role in Sherlock’s fall. It wasn’t hard to see how John would blame her. And not just for Sherlock’s apparent death, but also for terminating his own role and leaving him by himself. And if that idea had been left to stew it was perhaps not so surprising he had exploded on their next meeting.  
  
Sherlock’s steely look had convinced Stanley that he was not surprised at John’s anger in the way the others had been. It was something he had presumably seen before, quite possibly directed at himself. And Sherlock was going to deal with it and somehow defuse the anger.   
  
Stanley watched Sherlock as he too swept out of the alley. He turned his attention back to Lestrade, who was trying to calm matters down.  
  
“Right everyone, back to work. This was an isolated incident, which will not be repeated,” Lestrade said. “Fraser, Lennox start contacting the hospitals; find out if anyone has been treated for wounds to their left arm or shoulder. The rest of you finish taking notes and then get back to the Yard.”  
  
Stanley saw Lestrade look down the alley in the direction Sherlock had gone. Then he turned towards Sally and said quietly, “I’ll contact Sherlock and make it clear we will not tolerate behaviour like that in the future.”   
  
Stanley hoped Sherlock would manage to calm his flatmate sufficiently that there wouldn’t be a repeat. As it was, Stanley knew word of what had happened would soon fly round the Met, and those inspectors already reluctant to use Sherlock would see this as a further reason why they shouldn’t. Which would be a mistake because, as Stanley had learnt, Sherlock was able to provide insights others couldn’t.  
  



End file.
